I am not a professional, nor do I aspire to be. I'm just an enthusiast who wants to have fun. However, I would really like to understand photography much better, so I bought myself a simple studio kit. I have a very logical mind and I would like to practice lighting techniques methodically, one by one, step by step, ad nauseum. I think that comparing how minor changes in position and lighting actually affect the outcome would help me truly understand lighting.

Problem: my wife's patience is limited, and she would not like the idea of my hiring a model to pick up the slack. So I was wondering if there were any alternatives. In particular, are there mannequins or model busts that photographers can use for this purpose? While not perfect, I suspect that such an object (subject?) would be a reasonably helpful -- and certainly extremely patient.

Thoughts? Suggestions?